Freezer cooking: Is there a way to do it without so much disposable stuff?

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Long story short, I want to start freezing more meals, but I don't want to have to start buying plastic bags and disposable tins and such. Is it even possible to do this? 

 

For example, my parents gave me most of a cooked turkey last night. I need to chop all the remaining meat so I can turn the frame and giblets into stock. Obviously I can jar and freeze the stock, but what can I do with the chopped turkey meat? Is it feasible to also put that into jars, or will that allow too much air to remain around it? Can I freeze casseroles in Pyrex containers? If I do, I assume I need to let the whole thing sit on the counter for an hour or so before I can put it in the oven?

 

I don't mind using the occasional zipper bag and throwaway container, but I'm not really ready to go whole hog and make that my system if I can avoid it. 

 

If anyone has any advice on this, I'd love to hear it. Thank you!

Edited December 5, 2015 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[Slache]

Can I freeze casseroles in Pyrex containers? If I do, I assume I need to let the whole thing sit on the counter for an hour or so before I can put it in the oven?

 

Yes and yes. I have reusable bags and lots of Pyrex. I don't cook things twice. I get them ready to cook and freeze them like that. I like my meals fresh.

[Catwoman]

You can re-use the Rubbermaid storage containers, and Pyrex works, as well -- especially the newer Pyrex containers that have the plastic lids. You have to be careful with glass jars, though, as some of them will crack in the freezer.

Edited December 5, 2015 by Catwoman

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Yes and yes. I have reusable bags and lots of Pyrex. I don't cook things twice. I get them ready to cook and freeze them like that. I like my meals fresh.

 

Reusable bags? Can you share? And do you have any resources you'd recommend? This is completely new to me, so I'm basically learning from the ground up.

 

Thanks!

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

You can re-use the Rubbermaid storage containers, and Pyrex works, as well -- especially the newer Pyrex containers that have the plastic lids. You have to be careful with glass jars, though, as some of them will crack in the freezer.

 

Ooh, I forgot about those snap-on lids! I have a bunch of round Pyrex with rubbery plastic lids, but they're starting to crack and break (the lids, not the Pyrex). I'll have to look and see if I can find some Pyrex that can go in the oven and are big enough to hold enough food, but that also have lids that seal well.

 

Thanks, my Ball jars are the kind that can freeze--no "shoulders"! Learned that the hard way early on, wasting a batch of beautiful chicken stock in the process *sob* 

[justasque]

For things like stock, chopped turkey, and so on, you can re-use containers that come with other things.  For example, I buy plain yogurt in the big 4-cup containers.  I then use the containers to freeze things like stock, cookie dough, the innards of chicken pot pie, burrito meat, and so on.  2-cup and 1-cup containers can be used for smaller amounts of stock, chopped veggies, smaller amounts of meat, cheese bought in bulk, and so on.  It's wise to consider how you will use the ingredients - for example, a 2-cup container of stock is just right for making gravy or the sauce for a casserole or skillet meal; 4-cups is mostly useful for soup, or making 2 cups of rice.  Since I make less soup than gravy/sauce, I generally do more 2-cup containers than 4-cup ones.

[Slache]

Reusable bags? Can you share? And do you have any resources you'd recommend? This is completely new to me, so I'm basically learning from the ground up.

 

Thanks!

My mom gave them to me when she left town and they don't have a brand name on them. I'm sorry. The first time I tried once a month cooking I tried a bunch of freezer recipes and they sucked so the second time I used a bunch of my recipes and just didn't cook them. I liked that much better. The downside to doing your own recipes is that you sometimes have to do something that day like grate cheese or chopped fresh vegetables, but I don't mind that because my food is really good.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

For things like stock, chopped turkey, and so on, you can re-use containers that come with other things.  For example, I buy plain yogurt in the big 4-cup containers.  I then use the containers to freeze things like stock, cookie dough, the innards of chicken pot pie, burrito meat, and so on.  2-cup and 1-cup containers can be used for smaller amounts of stock, chopped veggies, smaller amounts of meat, cheese bought in bulk, and so on.  It's wise to consider how you will use the ingredients - for example, a 2-cup container of stock is just right for making gravy or the sauce for a casserole or skillet meal; 4-cups is mostly useful for soup, or making 2 cups of rice.  Since I make less soup than gravy/sauce, I generally do more 2-cup containers than 4-cup ones.

 

And you find that using containers like that keep things airtight enough to keep them from getting freezer burnt or funky tasting? I guess I'm thinking of things I've read in the past that talked about pressing out as much air as possible, and friend who swears by her vacuum sealer for freezer cooking. Is that not really much of an issue? 

[Slache]

Go to a kitchen store. Lots of goodies to help you out.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

My mom gave them to me when she left town and they don't have a brand name on them. I'm sorry. The first time I tried once a month cooking I tried a bunch of freezer recipes and they sucked so the second time I used a bunch of my recipes and just didn't cook them. I liked that much better. The downside to doing your own recipes is that you sometimes have to do something that day like grate cheese or chopped fresh vegetables, but I don't mind that because my food is really good.

 

Thanks, this is good to know! One of the reasons I've held off on freezer cooking for so long is because I don't tend to like the taste/texture of food that was cooked, then frozen and reheated. But freezing what I can uncooked and then doing a little work the day of is a good compromise, and still much faster than cooking it all from scratch. 

[Catwoman]

For things like stock, chopped turkey, and so on, you can re-use containers that come with other things. For example, I buy plain yogurt in the big 4-cup containers. I then use the containers to freeze things like stock, cookie dough, the innards of chicken pot pie, burrito meat, and so on. 2-cup and 1-cup containers can be used for smaller amounts of stock, chopped veggies, smaller amounts of meat, cheese bought in bulk, and so on. It's wise to consider how you will use the ingredients - for example, a 2-cup container of stock is just right for making gravy or the sauce for a casserole or skillet meal; 4-cups is mostly useful for soup, or making 2 cups of rice. Since I make less soup than gravy/sauce, I generally do more 2-cup containers than 4-cup ones.

I have quite the collection of old yogurt and ricotta cheese containers. I use a Sharpie marker to label them when I re-use them. The nicest thing about using them is that when they get stained or damaged or when I'm just too lazy to wash them, I don't feel guilty about pitching them in the trash or recycling bin. :)

Edited December 5, 2015 by Catwoman

[Slache]

Thanks, this is good to know! One of the reasons I've held off on freezer cooking for so long is because I don't tend to like the taste/texture of food that was cooked, then frozen and reheated. But freezing what I can uncooked and then doing a little work the day of is a good compromise, and still much faster than cooking it all from scratch.

It also means you can throw something in the slow cooker and then leave and do the rest when you get back. You're not limited to being home to prep a really good meal. We like to get the organic meat packs from new seasons but that leaves us with about 3 days to prep and freeze. It's a great value if you like good meat. We usually get a meat pack and a bag of chicken and a bag of fish from Costco. You can really vary your meals for less that way.

[Catwoman]

I have never done full meals in the freezer, unless it's something like leftover chili. I usually freeze things like sauces.

 

I'm interested in the way you do it, Slache, with the fresh foods, because I have found that a lot of things end up mushy if I freeze them after cooking them (like leftover stews or whatever.) Are there things that are absolute no-nos to freeze while fresh? I know I can probably get a lot of info online or from a book, but it sounds like you're good at this so I would trust your opinions.

[Slache]

I have never done full meals in the freezer, unless it's something like leftover chili. I usually freeze things like sauces.

 

I'm interested in the way you do it, Slache, with the fresh foods, because I have found that a lot of things end up mushy if I freeze them after cooking them (like leftover stews or whatever.) Are there things that are absolute no-nos to freeze while fresh? I know I can probably get a lot of info online or from a book, but it sounds like you're good at this so I would trust your opinions.

Potatoes is the only thing I've found. I think mashatatoes is the most advanced thing I have to make in the evenings. I don't freeze vegetarian meals or things like ratatouille. I make my freezer meals to ensure that we always have a good meal available, but it's sort of a backup plan. It's my intention to make fresh meals every day, but one can only eat so many burgers before they realize they need a better backup plan.

[Slache]

Hmm... Guess who hasn't updated her blog since May...

 

How I Do Once A Month Cooking

Posted on May 25, 2015

 

It’s actually more like once a month prep work. I like my meals fresh. Our menu plan is based on the purchase of meat because it is the most expensive and we purchase it in bulk at discount pricing, usually from New Seasons and Costco.

DAY ONE

1. Decide on meat purchase.

2. Find recipes, usually a combination of old favorites and new ones I found on Pinterest.

3. Decide on menu plan. We plan 4 meals a week that I cook, one of which is vegetarian, and live on leftovers the rest of the week. We always have taco soup and burgers on standby. We do not eat this on Monday, this on Tuesday, and this on Wednesday, we eat this, then this, then this. The food runs out when it runs out.

4. Create the shopping list. Buy EVERYTHING except for fresh fruits and veggies. We go to Costco once a month and get apples, oranges, salad stuff, carrots, etc. To make the shopping list I have 2 pieces of paper, one for Winco and one for Costco, divided by a giant cross. The 4 areas represent the 4 areas of the store. Add things by recipe so you buy as much in bulk as possible.

DAY TWO

5. Go shopping.

6. Prepare food. I do not cook anything except for casseroles I plan to freeze, and meat for certain soups. All of my meat, veggies, soup etc. goes in freezer bags or Pyrex dishes uncooked so that it is as freshly made as possible. Everything that is reserved for a recipe, but was not opened gets a sticker on it to show that it’s off limits. If we bought an 8 pack of cream of mushroom soup but only need six then only six get stickers and the other two are available for days when my husband wants to do something creative. This way we always have what we need and never need to run to the store.

It’s easier than most people make it. You don’t have to cook everything twice, you don’t have to go to 7 different stores and you don’t have to have it all down to a science. We’ve made mistakes and had chicken for 2 weeks. Matt’s had to stop at the store for a can of tomato paste. It’s OK. It’s still a much better lifestyle than cooking everyday, unless you love cooking. We eat better and cheaper than most, with less effort.

 

[justasque]

And you find that using containers like that keep things airtight enough to keep them from getting freezer burnt or funky tasting? I guess I'm thinking of things I've read in the past that talked about pressing out as much air as possible, and friend who swears by her vacuum sealer for freezer cooking. Is that not really much of an issue? 

 

Yes, they're fine if I use the food promptly.  I tend to fill the containers pretty full.  Things like hummus, stock, pot pie fillings, pie dough, burrito meat, pizza dough, cheese blends, feta or Parmesan (from a bulk block), meatballs, pepperoni, chili, quiche, crumble topping, and so on do well.  I tend to freeze prepared ingredients rather than whole casseroles.   I also sometimes prep veggies by cleaning and chopping them, then refrigerate them for later use.  That way I can quickly get a skillet meal on the table.  

 

I have quite the collection of old yogurt and ricotta cheese containers. I use a Sharpie marker to label them when I re-use them. The nicest thing about using them is that when they get stained or damaged or when I'm just too lazy to wash them, I don't feel guilty about pitching them in the trash or recycling bin. :)

 

Exactly!  Sharpies work great, and there's no guilt about pitching them when you need a clean-out.  And there's an endless, no-cost stream of replacements.

[KungFuPanda]

Are you opposed to plastic wrap or freezer paper? You can freeze in your casserole dishes just to mold it, then pop out the frozen meal and wrap it for longer freezing.

[Slache]

Are you opposed to plastic wrap or freezer paper? You can freeze in your casserole dishes just to mold it, then pop out the frozen meal and wrap it for longer freezing.

I did that *once*. It was obnoxious.

[HomeAgain]

Have you looked at Shape & Stores?  They freeze individual portions in honeycomb shapes, so you can use as little or as much as you want.

[regentrude]

Reusable bags? Can you share?

 

You can simply reuse regular freezer ziploc bags. Just wash them and make sure they are completely dry.

 

I freeze foods in plastic 1 lb yoghurt containers (makes great single servings) or other food containers I repurpose.

 

Edited December 5, 2015 by regentrude

[Joyofsixreboot]

I freeze stuff in glass. Sometimes if I need the container I'll run warm water around the bottom, pop it out and store in a Baggie.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

So much great advice here! I processed the turkey and ended up with over 16 cups of meat, and will probably have 8-10 cups of stock by tomorrow  :hurray:

 

I froze the meat in tight-sealing takeout food containers that I had, and the stock will go in the mason jars. Now I need to start doing some research on some more shortcuts I can start incorporating into my cooking. At a minimum, I can do some burger patties and precooked ground beef for tacos and a few other common recipes. And I'm going to look tomorrow to see whether our Costco still has the glass snap-lock type containers. 

 

Thank you!

[justasque]

So much great advice here! I processed the turkey and ended up with over 16 cups of meat, and will probably have 8-10 cups of stock by tomorrow  :hurray:

 

I froze the meat in tight-sealing takeout food containers that I had, and the stock will go in the mason jars. Now I need to start doing some research on some more shortcuts I can start incorporating into my cooking. At a minimum, I can do some burger patties and precooked ground beef for tacos and a few other common recipes. And I'm going to look tomorrow to see whether our Costco still has the glass snap-lock type containers. 

 

Thank you!

 

Nice work!  Now be sure to make a freezer rotation menu plan, and set some kind of reminder for the morning to defrost the dinner ingredients.  It can be easy to over-stock a freezer.  Take into account seasonal changes - summer often calls for lighter meals, and it's good to start summer with an empty-ish freezer so you can put up the fresh veggies.  So while there will always be some turnover, big-picture-wise you'll want to be filling the freezer in summer/fall, then emptying it in winter/spring.  I often do an "eat down the freezer" exercise just after Christmas, when the budget is tight, by trying to make as many meals as possible using only what I have on hand, then continuing to make meals with maximum use of pantry items, supplementing with the bare minimum of newly purchased items.  It's a great way to make sure you actually use what you have put up (and towards the end of the exercise, toss the mystery items that seem to multiply in the back/bottom of the freezer!).  

[kbutton]

Cardboard milk cartons and pint-sized cardboard cream containers. Wash them really well. You'll need to fasten the lid in some way (folded over, taped, whatever). If you are making something like soup/broth, you can peel the container right off and pop the food into a pot.

[nd293]

I simply freeze cooked chicken meat in plastic Tupperware-style containers. For reasonably short period of time (2-4 weeks?) you won't have problems with the air in the container. Otherwise I reuse bread bags in the freezer, or the bags vegetables come in (although I try to use my own mesh bags for those when buying by weight).

[Acadie]

Slache, would you share some of your favorite meals that freeze well? Recipes would be great, but if not a list would be super cool too.

 

Gracias,

 

Amy

[redsquirrel]

I use foil 'disposable' pans etc but they last for years.  I have foil bread pans that are probably close to 10 years old.  I bake, freeze, and store in them.  When it is time to eat the food, I pop it out frozen and thaw or reheat in a different container.  I think that makes the disposable pans last longer.  When I take stuff out while it is still frozen, the pans stay really clean and only need a minor washing up to look new. I wash them out by hand and stack them on the shelf for later use.

 

I have large plastic bags that I can slide them in for freezing. Again, I have been reusing them for years.  They don't really touch the food, just enclose the foil pans. 

 

For liquids I might reuse yogurt containers or paper milk containers, as mentioned upthread.

[justasque]

I love to make gravies/sauces with frozen broth.  I saute the veg (onion, garlic, celery, carrots, or whatever) in 3 tbsp of oil or butter, then put in 3tbsp of flour and stir well.  Then I put in a 2-cup block of frozen broth.  I keep stirring and the broth slowly melts and is incorporated into the flour/veg.  Because the liquid is gradually incorporated into the flour, lumps aren't a problem and the gravy turns out beautifully smooth.

[knoxinsox]

My freezer cooking has evolved into a system.  We have just a family of 4, so I took gallon ziploc bags with me to Ross and purchased 20 square cake pans that fit into the bags.  Bigger pans will fit into the 2 gallon bags.  When I fill the bags, I write the directions on a piece of foil that covers the food and then place into a bag.  I reuse the bags since they are still clean and the pans.  Also, the extra layer helps protect against freezer burn.  

 

I like the pint and a half mason jars for things like chili or soup.  

 

I don't cook lasagna noodles at all.  Layer with the meat and cheese and freeze.  There will be enough liquid when it thaws to make it perfect.  And I undercook all other pasta.  If the directions say 7-10 minutes, I boil them 6.  Mushy pasta ruins an otherwise great dish.  Also frozen potatoes are mostly pretty meh.  Pepper (the seasoning) becomes even spicier.  And I think frozen green pepper flavor permeates the rest of the dish, so I leave that out. 

 

Fajita kits are fun.  I do use a bag for the meat and veg plus marinade.  Separate containers for the tortillas and cheese, then I rubberband them together.   

 

I used all our favorite recipes and just modified them a bit for freezer cooking.  Beef Enchiladas, Baked Ziti, Lasagna, Fajitas, Mac and Cheese, Perdenales River Chili---which you can use for taco meat, or burritos, or make a cornbread pie, or add beans when reheating. I make it mild and then add hot sauce for myself. Spaghetti Pie, Meat and Potato Quiche (with frozen hash browns), Freezer batches of burritos, Ham Stuffed Shells, homemade hot pockets, homemade uncrustables, or sandwiches, cookies, frozen fruit slushes, pork chops in different kinds of marinade--ready to thaw and skillet cook.  Freezer meatballs, flash frozen and ready to cook for BBQ meatballs, or put in spaghetti or soup, Hamburger patties ready to cook, ground beef cooked and recipe ready.  Mini pizzas.  Sweet potato casserole. Muffins, quick breads such as zucchini or pumpkin bread, pancakes, waffles....  There are also things my family doesn't like....Cheezy chicken noodle casserole, soups, stews.  Taste of Home has had a lot of tested freezer recipes over the years, and that's where I got some of mine.

 

When I was wokring full-time, this was a total life saver.  Every 3 months, I did a "freezer-filler" of approx. 40 meals plus some sweets and breakfast/lunch items. Right now, I don't have a big freezer, so I usually do doubles and freeze one.  I keep about 10 in the freezer.    

 

I think if you properly package the items and use the recipes your family enjoys already, then you won't have as much problem with the taste.  Personally, I dislike almost all frozen prepared foods from the grocery store. 

[Slache]

Slache, would you share some of your favorite meals that freeze well? Recipes would be great, but if not a list would be super cool too.

 

Gracias,

 

Amy

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/572828-so-pantray-meals-you-can-freeze-for-later :)